Garbage can cover



Nov. 8-, 1960 5. J. BEEBE GARBAGE CAN COVER Filed June 12, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 7

INVENTOR S. J. BEEBE FIG. 8

ATTORNEY Nov. 8, 1960 5. J. BEEBE GARBAGE CAN COVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 12, 1958 FIG. 5

INVENTOR S. J. BEEBE FIG. 6

ATTORN'EY United States Patent GARBAGE CAN COVER Stanley J. Beebe, Norfolk, Va., assignor to George 'B. Sparrow, Norfolk, Va.

Filed June 12, 1958, Ser. No. 741,582

Claims. (Cl. 220--36) This invention relates to devices used for the retention of discarded matter including surplus fragments of food and the likeand particularly to containers intended to receive such discarded material and with covers for such containers. 7

The invention is concerned specifically with garbage can covers which can beopened by the foot when the hands are filled and the cover of which automatically will close when the opening mechanism is released.

Garbage cans have included covers and complicated levers and the like mechanism for raising or removing the covers to afford access to the cans on which they were applied. Such covers have fitted loosely so that they did not exclude flies and insects, and they have lacked the essential strength and durability to render them satisfactory.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the difliculties enumerated and toprovide a garbage can cover particularly suitable for use in the home and which cover can be applied tightly on a can and having a closure affording access to the can, which closure can be elevated by an operating lever when the hands are filled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garbage can cover constructed to be applied with a sealing fit to the top of a garbage can and such cover having an access opening and a closure therefor with a rollable weight for maintaining the closure either in a fully open or fully closed position but with the closure capable of being actuated to cause it to open.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a top plan view;

Fig. 2, a side elevation;

Fig. 3, a similar view with the parts in a different position;

Fig. 4, a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively end and side elevations of the rollable weight;

Fig. 7, a side elevation of a modified form of weight holder; and

Fig. 8, a section on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Briefly stated, the garbage can cover of the present invention is of a shape to conform to the can to which it is applied with a sealing fit, such cover having an opening with a closure therefor, the closure being provided with a rolling weight for maintaining the closure open or closed depending upon the location of the weight, the closure being pivoted and the extremity opposite the pivot being slightly lower than the pivot so that when such lower extremity is elevated slightly the rolling action of the weight will raise or open the closure.

With continued reference to the drawings, the present invention is a garbage can cover 10 adapted to be applied about the upper end of a garbage can with a sealing fit. This cover 10 may be of cylindrical or other desired configuration and with an opening 11 defined by a collar or annular portion 12 through which access may be had I 2 to the interior of the can upon which the cover is applied.

The opening forming collar 12 has extensions 13 at each side of its rear forming a supportfor a cross rod or pivot 14, the ends of which are flattened to retain the same in place.

On the rod 14 is mounted a rectangular closure 15 having a flange 16 adapted to be disposed about and enclose the upper portion of the collar 12 when the cover is closed. The pivot 14 likewise extends through the annular flange 16 of the closure 15, such flange having a portion 17 removed to accommodate the upper edge of the collar 12 when the closure 16 is raised to atford access to the interior of the container.

In order to provide for the raising and lowering of the closure 15, an elongated hollow weight-holding arm 18 is provide in which a weight in the form of a roller 19 is carried, the arm 18 being attached to the closure 15 with the center of arm 18 nearer one end of the closure than the other so that when the weight 19 is at one end of the hollow arm 18 the closure will be closed as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 but when the weight of the roller 19 is at the opposite end the closure will be open as illustrated in Fig. 3, the arm 18 being welded to the cover or secured in any other desired means.

Attached to the rim 16 of the cover 15 is a latch-engaging ring 20 by which the closure may be closed and with the ring 20 engaged by a, retaining latch 21 mounted on a pivot 22 and having an operatingarm or portion 23. When the ring is lowered, itengages the concave surface of the latch 21 and is held thereby. In such position the hollow arm 18 will have its end adjacent the front of the closure slightly lower than the end of the arm adjacent the rear of the closure whereupon the parts will be in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the closure will be closed.

In order to open, the closure arm 23 need only be depressed slightly to cause the ring 20 to be moved upwardly by the latch member 21 whereupon the roller 19 in the lower front end of the hollow arm will move by gravity towards the opposite or rear end of the hollow arm 18 passing the pivot 14 and causing the swinging movement of the closure on its pivot until it is fully opened.

The closing of the closure is by engagement and moving of the ring 20 downwardly until the latch 21 is in the position of Figs. 1 and 2 and engaging the latch 21 and the weight will have returned by gravity to the forward end of the bar 18.

Instead of the hollow roller .retaining arm 18 an elongated roller retaining member or loop 24 may be provided in which may be retained a spool-type weight adding roller 25 having an annular groove 26 in which are disposed the opposite ends of the retainer 24. An operating ring 26 may be provided corresponding to the ring 20 of Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be apparent that the present invention is a cover for the upper end of a container such as a garbage can which cover is provided with a pivoted closure with a rollable weight carried in a hollow control arm or retainer and designed to maintain the closure open or closed depending upon the location of the weight in the arm and requiring only a slight elevation of the front of tion is not limited by that which is illustrated in the draw ings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cover for a container having an opening and a closure for said opening, a weight adding roller movable lengthwise of said closure, a retainer for saidroller attached to said closure, said retainer extending lengthwise of said closure and projecting beyond said closure to cause the same to swing when the roller is in one position to open the closure and when said roller is in the opposite position said closure will be closed, said closure and retainer being mounted so that when closed the front end of the closure will be lower than the rear end to cause the roller to remain at the front end and hold the closure closed and when the weight is at the opposite end to hold the cover open, and lever mechanism for elevating the cover slightly to cause it to open.

2. A cover for a container having an opening and a closure for said opening, a weight adding roller movable lengthwise of said closure, a retainer for said roller attached to said closure, said retainer extending lengthwise of said closure and projecting beyond said closure to cause the same to swing when the roller is in one position to open the closure and when said roller is in the opposite position said closure will be closed, said closure and retainer being mounted so that when closed the front end of the closure will be lower than the rear end to cause the roller to remain at the front end and hold the closure closed and when the weight is at the opposite end to hold the cover open.

3. A cover for a container, said cover being constructed to fit tightly on the container and having an opening and a closure for said opening, said closure being mounted on a pivot near the periphery of the cover, a freely shiftable weight carried by said closure substantially Within the plane of the same and movable to positions on opposite sides of the pivot in a manner to retain said closure closed in one position and when shifted substantially along the plane of the closure to retain said closure open, and operating lever mechanism to cause the gravity shifting of said weight.

4. A cover for a container, said cover being constructed to fit tightly on the container and having an opening and a closure for said opening, said closure being mounted on a pivot near the periphery of the cover, means defining a restricted path substantially along the plane of the cover and across the pivot, a freely shiftable weight carried by said closure within the restricted path and constructed in one position of the weight along the path to maintain the closure closed and in another position along the path on the opposite side of the pivot to maintain the closure open.

5. The structure of claim 4, and means for initiating the pivoting of said cover when the cover is closed in order to initiate the shifting of said weight and the causing of the cover to open.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

